Khande Rao Banaji - 1730 - 1762 ( Interpolation - See events )
Khande Rao (also referred to as Kunde Row by Mark Wilks; Canero by the French writer M. M. De La Tour; Conderow by Captain Francis Robson, an English writer; Panderau by Eloy Jose Correa Peixoto, a Portugese writer; Khandi Rao by Ramachandra Rao Punganuri in his memoir on Haider Ali translated from Marathi to English by Charles Philip Brown, and Khande Rao Banaji in the Records of the Peshwa Daftar, Pune), was closely associated with the history of Mysore as a loyal officer who made a valiant effort to restore the Mysore kingdom to Krishnaraja Wodeyar II from Haidar Ali, the usurper.+++(5)+++ Khande Rao was a key figure who could have changed the course of Mysore history if he had succeeded in his effort to drive Haidar Ali out of the kingdom.
The period from 1734 to 1758 is also referred to as the ‘Dalawai Rule’. It was the younger Dalawai, Karachuri Nanjarajaiah, who enlisted the distinguished administrator and warrior, Khande Rao Banaji, son of Nagoji Rao. Khande Rao, and Krishnaraja wodeyar II apparently grew up together. M. M. De La Tour states that Khande Rao was a favourite of the prince. Later, Khande Rao became a minister in the king’s cabinet. Khande Rao came in contact with Haidar Ali in August 1756 when the king entrusted him with 50,000 gold pieces to be given to Sahbas Sahib (brother of Haidar) and Haidar to enable them to raise an army to defeat the Dalawai brothers who had virtually imprisoned him (the king) in his own palace. It is an irony that Haidar (whose assistance the king sought), himself displaced the king five years later. He and his son, Tippu Sultan, became the arbiters of the destiny of Mysore from 1761 to 1799.
Haidar rose to power under Khande Rao with the countenence of Karachuri Nanjarajaiah. During 1756-59, Khande Rao and Haidar got on well and in 1758, Khande Rao was made “Dewan” on the recommendation of Haidar and the Dalawais were side-lined (Appendix II). While Haidar was busy with the war campaigns, Khande Rao looked after the administration. The Mahratta and other wars gave ample opportunity to Haidar to press for the assignment of districts (revenue) from the king for alleged recruitment of additional forces for the army. By April 1759, the king had been forced to assign half of his kingdom to Haidar. Again in April 1760, Haidar made further demands for more assignments to meet the expenses. By now, Khande Rao had seen through Haidar’s intention to fleece the king. He strongly protested against further assignments to him. The king, however, had no option but to assign more districts to Haidar. This led to a misunderstanding between Haidar and Khande Rao (Haidar Nama, page 103). There was growing opposition to Haidar’s actions and demands. The king and his advisers, in consultation with the dowager queen, decided to put Haidar down.
The Wodeyar King sought the assistance of the Mahratta army and Khande Rao wrote several letters to George Pigout, Governor General at Madras for help. The king also directed Khande Rao to lead a 4000-strong army to attack Haidar. On 26th August 1760, Khande Rao attacked Haidar at Srirangapatna. Haidar fled (after he was allowed to flee by Khande Rao). While narrating Haidar’s escape, Mark Wilks states
“Haidar in his messages (to Khande Rao) recognised the services of Kunde Row in all the success that had attended in his life; represented that without his counsel, he was helpless; and was now ready to be guided by his commands and deprecated in terms of the utmost humility his proceeding to extremities.
That Kunde Row, in reply, acknowledged in his turn the benefits which he had received from Haidar; and disclaimed the intention of personal indignity; but stated that he was a servant of the Raja whose orders he should obey; that all he required from Haidar was to retire for ever from the service of Mysore, and on receiving his promise to that effect, he would withdraw the guards from the opposite side and advised him to escape that night; as on the morrow he would be compelled to act decisively against him”.
(Mark Wilks, vol 1, page 468) (Appendix VI).
Wilks further observes
" I should hesitate to ascribe to Kunde Row the remnant of virtuous feeling which could dictate a conduct so politically imprudent if it were possible in any other manner to explain the known act, that Haidar found the ordinary landing place of the northern bank without a guard of any description".
Next morning, Khande Rao captured the family members of Haidar including the young Tippu but treated them with respect.+++(5)+++
Later it will be seen in what a dastardly way it was repaid by Haidar. After his escape from Srirangapatna, Haidar went to Anekal and Bangalore to re-group his forces. The Mahratta troops attacked Haidar’s forces on behalf of Khande Rao but Haidar managed to evade them. He, however, knew that he had to face the Mahratta army which was preparing to assist Khande Rao. Haidar, therefore, decided to attack Khande Rao before the Mahratta troops arrived. He moved towards Srirangapatna from the southwest and crossed Cauvery near Sosale. Khande Rao’s forces were ready and, on 16th December 1760, Haidar was defeated in the battle of Nanjangud-Haradanahalli near Gejjalahalli Pass. Haidar was thoroughly beaten. At this juncture, luckily for him, the Mahratta Empire experienced a severe jolt when, on 14th January 1761, its troops were defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali in the battle of Panipat. Anticipating invasion from the North, the Peshwa ordered withdrawal of all his forces from everywhere (including Karnataka) to Pune. Haidar was greatly relieved as he was saved from a definite ruin.
Haidar thought of a plan to destabilise Khande Rao and it worked. He rushed to Konanur to meet Karachuri Nanjarajaiah (whom he had earlier removed from Srirangapatna) and seek his help. Shama Rao states “Haidar threw himself at Nanjarajaiah’s feet with a semblance of penitence and grief and attributing all his misfortune to the gross ingratitude with which he had requited the patronage of Nanjarajaiah, his master, and entreated him to resume the direction of public affairs and to take his servant once more under his protection” (Modern Mysore, pages 40-41). The entire episode is described in detail in ‘Haidar Nama’ (Appendix IV). It appears Barakki Srinivasa Rao and others advised him not to trust Haidar but to arrest him.
After he was removed from office by Haidar in 1758, Karachuri Nanjarajaiah was trying to re-establish himself at Srirangapatna with the assistance of the English forces. Haidar’s proposal came as a boon to him. He not only honoured Haidar but also placed his troops at his disposal. He allowed Haidar to use his name and influence and issued letters to the effect that Haidar was his Dalawai or commander-in-chief and everyone should provide him with help and supplies. It appears that Barakki Srinivasa Rao and some others left Nanjarajaiah with disgust. Taking advantage of the absence of Khande Rao from Srirangapatna, Haidar prepared letters in the name and seal of Karachuri Nanjarajaiah addressed to the forces of Khande Rao asking them to seize and deliver him to Nanjarajaiah for a suitable reward. Khande Rao was no match for Haidar’s deceit and he rushed back to Srirangapatna suspecting that his officers may betray him. In this confusion, Haidar attacked Khande Rao’s forces and defeated them and captured all their guns, supplies, etc.
In June 1761, Haidar with his forces arrived near Srirangapatna and started negotiations with Khande Rao. While it was in progress, one day he suddenly crossed Cauvery and took Khande Rao’s forces by surprise. He established himself near Ganjam, and wrote to Krishnaraja Wodeyar II stating (i) Khande Rao should be surrendered to him (ii) the large amount due to him from the King should be liquidated and (iii) he would seek fortune elsewhere unless the King wanted him to continue in his service. Since the King was not in a position to liquidate Haidar’s dues, he consented to surrender Khande Rao. On 20th June 1761, Khande Rao was surrendered to Haidar who imprisoned him in a iron cage (Page 204, Chapter 5 of Political history of Karnataka under the nawabs) and shifted him to Bangalore where he died a year later. On 3rd july 1761, Haidar formally occupied the Fort at Srirangapatna and declared himself as “Sarvadhikari and Regent” to the King. Karachuri Nanjarajaiah, who wanted to re-establish himself at Srirangapatna, was deceived for the second time by Haidar.
From the above it may seen that, by a combination of unfavourable circumstances, Khande Rao was defeated and killed. Hayavadan Rao states
“a study of the records preserved at Fort St. George, Madras, has thrown new light on the character of Khande Rao and his part in the revolt he led against Haidar. Khande Rao, from all accounts, was already in the service of the Raja when Haidar entered it. He was, therefore, neither his ‘servant’ as Haidar is reported to have claimed nor indeed could be pronounced guilty of ’treachery’ for endeavouring to rid the Raja, his master, of the new usurper of his soverignity when acted against Haidar. He was not a ‘conspirator’ but a loyal officer who made a valiant effort to restore the Mysore kingdom to Krishnaraja Wodeyar II. He was not a ‘mutsaddi’ (accountant) but a trusted Minister (Mysore Gazetteer, Vol. 2, page 2483). He will ever be remembered as a leader of the Royalist movement who worked wholeheartedly to save the country from the usurper’s hands.”
(History of Mysore, Vol.2, page 254, foot note 116).
M. Shama Rao describes Khande Rao as a man with a cool mind who added great sagacity and original thinking. Khande Rao was humane and considerate. His religion and upbringing allowed Haidar to escape, which act, Mark Wilks has rightly criticised as ‘politically imprudent’. Although khande Rao had treated Haidar’s family with utmost respect when they were captured, Haidar behaved and repaid him in a very brutal manner. Even Haidar’s wife, Fakhrunnisa, did not prevail upon Haidar to give a milder punishment to the gallant foe.
From Haidar Ali by Narendra kRShNa sinha
Haidar was ruthless, relentless and remorseless. Khande Rao had brought him very near to ruin. That he succeeded in emerging victorious out of this conflict was largely due to his luck. his undaunted spirit and his utter unscrupulousness But it is amusing to find his biographer indignantly recording the ‘villainy and ingratitude of this Brahmin, who according to him, deservedly died the death of an inauspicious crow’. while Haidar himself is described as the true avenger of ingratitude. In this connection we would do well to mention a remark ma de by Yasin Khan, a privileged companion of Haidar in his convivial hours. Once Haidar was pronouncing a philippic against ingratitude (nemuc haramme) and looked at Yasin Khan. “Why look at me,” said he, “you had better consult Nanjaraj on this subject.“2 Khande Rao’s ingratitude was only comparable to that of Haidar, the only defence being that Khande Rao failed while Haider succeeded. Now at last after the defeat of Khande Rao Haidar could feel that he was safely established in supreme authority of the Khodadad (the state of Mysore as described by him).
Khande Rao’s fate arouses our pity. He was no doubt a man of considerable ability. A very capable administrator, an able financier, he also developed, without any military training, a flair for milijary affairs. But he lacked what his adversary had in abundance, robustness, unperturbable solidity obstinate determination.